Our 2022-23 First U Concert Series – Please join us for upcoming concerts in February and March.
Upcoming concert dates:
Choral Concert
The DuPont Diversity Choir and The HildaMan Chorale under the direction of Rev. Kevin Benjamin
First Unitarian Church: Sunday, February 26th at 3:00 p.m.
Come and share in the “joyful noise” as our sanctuary resounds with music which is inspired by and celebrates the dream of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These three distinguished choral groups with a long history of music-making in northern Delaware will join together in a program including anthems, spirituals and gospel songs, celebrating and exploring the musical traditions surrounding Black History Month.
Admission is free. There will be a post-concert reception in the Parish Hall.
Palisades Virtuosi
Margaret Swinchoski, flute
Donald Mokrynski, clarinet
Ron Levy, piano
First Unitarian Church: Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
Performing: “Global Warning,” a program of works designed to bring attention to the climate concerns we now face, featuring Harness the Winds by world-renowned jazz bassist and composer Rufus Reid. Other works on the program are Adrienne Albert’s Global Warming, Donald Draganski’s Trio from Rio, Godfrey Schroth’s Aye-Aye (from Endangered Species), Kristofer Spike’s Elegy (for a dying planet) and Aaron Grad’s Lep•i•dop•ter•ol•o•gy.
Admission is free. There will be a post-concert reception in the Parish Hall.
Based in Bergen County, NJ, and dubbed “The Commissioners” by Chamber Music America Magazine, Palisades Virtuosi has established an enviable presence in the chamber music world since its inception in 2002, when they began commissioning new works to add to the repertoire for flute, clarinet and piano. They have continued to celebrate the premieres of new works at their concerts each year, and to date, PV’s portfolio boasts ninety new pieces, acquired either directly through PV’s “Mission to Commission”®, or by a work being gifted to them by several and various composers. The collection, taken as a whole, exhibits an astounding richness and depth; the ages of the composers range from sixteen to eighty, displaying a staggering array of styles and approaches.
In addition to their home concert base at the Unitarian Society in Ridgefield, NJ, the trio has performed in prestigious venues throughout the US, including Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, the Bruno Walter Auditorium/NY Public Library at Lincoln Center, the venerable Stratford Summer Music Festival, the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, and the New York Flute Club.
Palisades Virtuosi also has a robust commitment to record and disseminate commissioned compositions. To date they have released 6 volumes of CDs on Albany Records, and a 7th CD on the 4-Tay Records label. These recordings have garnered rave reviews from such publications as Fanfare Magazine, American Record Guide, and Living Music Journal.
For further information about Palisades Virtuosi, visit their website:
http://www.palisadesvirtuosi.org/
Recent Concerts:
The Wister Quartet on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. – The renowned Philadelphia-based string quartet will present a program of chamber music classics.
Free admission
The renowned string quartet will grace our sanctuary with a program of chamber music classics, including works by Mozart, Beethoven and cellist/composer Lloyd Smith. We hope you’ll plan to join us for this wonderful concert – bring a friend! Admission is free. There will be a reception after the concert in the Parish Hall.
The Wister Quartet was named to honor Frances Anne Wister, the founder of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Volunteer Committees. Since its formation in 1987, it has earned high praise from critics and audiences alike for its superb musicianship and memorable performances. It was the inaugurating ensemble of the German Society of Pennsylvania’s concert series, “Wister and More!” in 1991 and has appeared regularly on that series ever since. The Quartet has recorded for Direct-to-Tape Records; its first CD was nominated for a Grammy. It is the core ensemble of 1807 & Friends and is celebrating its 36th anniversary this season. Please learn more about the quartet at this link.
The concert on 11/13 was wonderful! You can view it here.
The Diamond State Concert Band on Monday, December 5, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. – The Diamond State Concert Band will play a holiday program of music for our audience in the sanctuary, while also live-streaming to our membership and the Mary Campbell Center. The Mary Campbell Center provides long-term, short-term, and temporary respite care for individuals with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, intellectual disabilities, and post trauma injuries. Due to Covid restrictions, the DSCB is unable to perform their annual concert at the Center in person. First Unitarian has agreed to co-sponsor and live-stream the concert, which will benefit both our community and the Mary Campbell Center. We hope you will plan to join us in person or on-line to share in this joyful holiday celebration! The program will start at 7 p.m. and last approximately one hour. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.
This was a wonderful holiday concert that was a perfect start to the holiday season! Some photos are available, below:
The First U Concert Series and other music activities are supported financially in-part by the Counterpoint Society. If you’re interested in contributing to support music at First U, please visit our donate page on the website, here.